Sunrise
by Cody'sxFavoritexGirl
Summary: After her boyfriend Mike dumps her, Mel seeks refuge in her best friend Zack Ryder. But Zack has more than friendly feelings for Mel, and when Mike comes around and tries to lure Mel back, can Zack save the love of his life? And what if Mel doesn't want to be saved? Zack Ryder/OC song-fic written for my buddy Mel. Please R&R.


**A/N: I own nothing except for the OCs, so don't sue. This is a Zack Ryder/OC song-fic written for my amazing buddy Mel. The song used is "Sunrise" by Rascal Flatts. Reviews are very appreciated. Enjoy. :)**

**Sunrise**

**Well you can't eat, can't sleep, down on the floor.**

**Cause you never fell this hard before.**

**Now there's nothing in this world you want more than to be free.**

**And you're lost somewhere you swore you'd never go.**

**And the way back looks like a dead end road.**

**But with one step, one breath, one smile at a time.**

When Mel Hearst-Helmsly showed up at his door at 3:00 in the morning, Zack Ryder knew that there was something wrong. His hunch was confirmed when he saw the tears streaming down her cheeks and the hurt in her eyes. He quickly ushered his best friend of 10 years inside his hotel room and shut the door, latching it firmly as though locking out all of the bad things in the world. If he had his way, he would be able to protect Mel from all of them. Usually he was able to, but there was one bad thing that he hadn't been able to keep her from:

Mike "The Miz" Mizanin.

The two of them had begun dating a few months ago, despite Zack's numerous warnings to Mel about Mike. But Mel had refused to listen to him, saying that he was wrong and that Mike had changed.

_Changed my ass, _Zack thought as he turned to face his heartbroken friend, who had collapsed on the bed and was quietly sobbing into a pillow.

"Mel," he said, crossing the room and sitting on the edge of the bed next to her. "Melly, what did that bastard do to you?"

Mel lifted her head out of the pillow, mascara tracks mixing with the tears on her cheeks. "He dumped me," she whimpered, her voice heavy with sobs. "Like I was nothing more than a piece of trash. I loved him so much, Zack..." She trailed off and let her head flop back into the pillow again.

Zack sighed quietly to himself as he sat beside her, rubbing her back soothingly and daydreaming about what he was going to do to Mike once he saw him. But that would have to wait. Mel needed him right now.

After about fifteen minutes, Mel calmed down, and she removed her face from the mascara-streaked pillow and sat up. Her brown hair hung in her face, and Zack made an amused noise and reached out, brushing it back. Mel caught his hand and held it to her cheek, her sad brown eyes meeting his. Zack felt his breath catch, and for a moment they were silent as they stared at each other. Then Zack blinked and pulled his hand back, standing up as he did so.

"You can sleep here if you want," he told her, nodding to the bed. "I'll just go sleep on the couch."

He turned to leave, but Mel grabbed his hand and stopped him. "Please don't go," she begged him, gazing up at him with fear in her eyes. "Stay with me. Please."

Zack felt his heart crack in two, and he nodded and climbed onto the bed beside her. Mel curled into his side and wrapped her arms around his waist, and he put one arm around her and absently stroked her hair. His heart was going crazy just having her next to him, and he found himself imagining what it would be like to fall asleep next to her every night. He drifted off to sleep with his arms wrapped tightly around her and visions of them together playing through his mind.

**Let me get you out of here.**

**Wipe away all your tears.**

**Now you're safe in these arms of mine.**

**I won't ever let you down.**

**Your heart will start to come around.**

**We're gonna change your life.**

**One sunrise at a time.**

When Zack awoke the next morning, the first thing he saw was Mel sitting on the end of the bed, her face in her hands. He quickly sat up and crawled along the length of the bed to her, stopping beside her and placing an arm around her shoulders. "Mel, honey, what is it?" he asked, concerned.

Mel lifted her head out of her hands and looked at him, her face wet with tears. "He told me he loved me, Zack," she whimpered. "He promised me that he'd love me forever."

Zack had no idea what to say to that, so he just pulled her close and held her while she cried into his chest, his hatred for Mike Mizanin building. But his love for Mel and his sadness that she couldn't see how much he loved her overrode his anger, and he found himself wondering why she couldn't get over Mike and be happy with him.

**Well, you can't get rid of all his lies.**

**Thinkin' bout him all the time.**

**Can I be the reason you've got nothin' on your mind?**

At breakfast a few hours later, Zack sat and watched Mel pick absently at her food, her mind obviously on other things. On _him, _Zack thought bitterly.

The sound of footsteps and voices reached their ears, and Mel looked up to see who was coming into the hotel restaurant. Her face paled, and Zack knew without turning around who was there.

"Hey Mel," that hated voice crooned. "Why are you sitting over here with this loser? Come sit with me."

Zack felt fury wash over him and he opened his mouth to retort, but then he saw something that made his blood run cold.

Mel was actually considering Mike's offer.

He could see it in her eyes. She was looking at Mike as though she'd do anything for him, and even though Zack wanted to believe that she'd never ditch him for that asshole, a condescending voice in the back of his mind whispered that she would.

And that was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Zack stood up so fast that his chair tumbled over, and he whirled to face Mike, who had leapt back out of the way of the chair. Mike opened his mouth to say something–probably to complain about the chair almost hitting him–but before he could get anything out, his mouth was full of Zack's fist.

Mike stumbled backwards, clutching his split lip and staring at Zack with shock in his blue eyes. Zack advanced on him, spitting with rage. "I am so sick of your bullshit, Mizanin," he snarled. "If you ever come near Mel again, I swear to God that I will fucking kill you. Understand?"

When Mike didn't answer right away, Zack screamed, "Understand?"

Mike flinched and gave a little nod, still too stunned to speak. Zack took another step towards him, intending to hit him again, but before he could do so a restraining hand fell on his raised arm.

"Zack, stop," Mel said.

He turned his head sharply to face her, his blue eyes cold. "What? You wanna protect him?" he spat.

"No," Mel said, her voice honest and sure. "I want to protect you."

She pointed, and Zack followed her outstretched index finger to a table in the corner of the restaurant. Vince McMahon sat there, his eyes focused intently on the situation that was unfolding. Zack met Vince's gaze, and he got the silent message that if he struck Mike again, then he would be terminated on the spot.

After a moment of indecision, Zack lowered his arm. He didn't care if he lost his job, but he did care if he left Mel here all alone. He couldn't do that to her. He was all she had at that point.

Mike took the opportunity to flee, and Zack watched him go, his blood boiling. But the rage that was inside of him dissipated when he turned to face Mel, who still had her hand on his arm and was looking up at him with an emotion in her eyes that he couldn't make out.

"You stood up to him for me," she whispered, sounding slightly surprised.

"Of course I did," Zack said, gazing deep into her brown eyes. "I couldn't let you go back to him."

Mel smiled tenderly. "Oh Zack, I was never going to go back to him."

"But then why did you take so long to answer?" Zack asked, genuinely confused.

"Because I was trying to decide the harshest way to tell him 'no'. I had just decided on a simple 'fuck off' when you jumped up and popped him in the mouth," Mel explained. Her smile got wider, and she added, "I liked your way better."

Zack let out a breath that he hadn't been aware he was holding. Mel wasn't going to leave him. "I thought I was going to lose you," he admitted, his voice quiet.

"Zack, you will never lose me," Mel murmured, stepping a little bit closer to him. "I couldn't be without you, even for a single second."

Zack gazed down at her, unable to speak. As it turned out, he didn't have to. Mel put her arms around his neck and stretched up, and he lowered his head until his lips touched hers. He put his hands on her waist and deepened the kiss, happiness bubbling up inside of him.

The future was bright and the world was theirs, and as he kissed her he could see each day stretching out in front of them.

He was going to change her life, one sunrise at a time.

**Oh, let me get you out of here.**

**Wipe away all your tears.**

**Now you're safe in these arms of mine.**

**I won't ever let you down.**

**Your heart will start to come around.**

**We're gonna change your life.**

**One sunrise at a time.**

**END**

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, bud! I hope this fic was worth it! :D And to the rest of you who read this, thank you so much! Go ahead and leave a review, they mean a lot to me! :)**


End file.
